Rod bending machine



July 19, 1932. A. H. MARIETTA Ron lBENDING MACHINE Filed .July 18. 1929 A TTORNEY Patented July 19, 1932 UnireY STATES PATE ALPHONSOV IH. MARIETTA, OF AKRON, OHIO ROD IBENDING MACHINE l applicati@ filed amy 1s,

Objects of the invention are to provide aV strong, durable rod bending `apparatus of simple, economical construction which may be conveniently and economically operated and which will be very efhcientin'use.

A particular object is to provide a machine il for bending elongated metal members into given number of workmen.

zig-zag shape whereby the same may be welded or otherwise connected between two or more members to forma truss or brace therebetween.

Another object is to provide a new and novel apparatus whereby a rod may be progressively bent into a regularly recurring series of steps. n 1

A further object isto provide apparatus in which iuid pressure is employed to proin a series of steps and which may bequiclzly and conveniently adjusted to regulate the length or the widthv ofthe steps and to thereby provide a single machine which may be used to manufacture articles 'of different sizes from rods of diferent dimensions.

The above objects are accomplished and additional ends are attained by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated j in the accompanying'drawing, inwhich I n have shown a preferred form of the inven- 1929. Serial No. 379,133.

tion,`it'being understood that the invention is capable of various adaptations and*V that changes and modifications may be Vmade or resort had to substitutions which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended. i'

In the drawing, like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts as the same appear in any of the several views and in which Figure l is a top plan view ofa device constructed in laccordance with this invention. the same beingshown partly in horizontal section t0 more clearly illustratethe invention, l i i 'Figure 2 is across sectional view taken indicated'by the lines 2 2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is' a central, sectional view of a valve employedri'n carrying yout the invention.

Figure 4 isa fragmentary view illustrating a preferred means of adjustably securing the vpressure cylinders in place.

fes

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the man- Y ner of adjusting the dies to produce a modified form of product.V y

` Proceedingnow to a detailed description of the invention, withreference to the particular adaptation thereof disclosedin the drawing, the numeral 6 is used generally to denote the bed of a Vrod bending'apparatus constructedV in accordance with this invention. lIn the particular adaptation of the invention shown, the bedi is provided on each lateral side thereof with an elevated portion 7 and 8. The-bed 6 may -be supported in any suitable manner. In the drawing, I have shown the bed 6 supported bythe legs 9 and 10, but it is understood that may be supported in any suitable manner.

The numerals 11 and 12 are used to denote track members g'which are boltedV or otherwisesuitably secured to the bed 6' sofas to extend thereacross vin parallel spaced, relation to each other. Eachtracl 11 and 12 is provided on the upper side thereofwith a. dove-tail groove 13 which extends longitudinally thereof. The numerals 14,`15..16 and 17 denote cylinders which areY preferably alike. Each of said vcylinders is provided on vthe lower side thereof at a point adjacent Veach end thereof with a downwardly projecting lug 18. Each lug 18 is of dove-tail cross section and is adapted to be slidably received in the groove 13. Each track 11 and 12 is provided on the lower side thereof with a plurality of threaded bores 19 and the bed 6 is likewise provided with alined bores 2O to which a screw bolt 21 is threaded so that it will beoperated to bear againstthe bottom of each lug 18, to securely hold the lug 18 against sliding movement in the channel 13. The cylinders 14, 15, 16 and 17 are thusad-y justably secured to the bed 6 so as to be arranged in a row in parallel spaced rel-ation toeach other.

Each of the cylinders 14, 15, 16V and 17 is .provided on each endthereof with a cylinder head22 which is bolted or otherwise suitably secured thereto. Each head 22 is provided with the axially arranged bore 23 in which is slidably mounted a piston rod 24. The said piston rod 24 extends' entirely through the cylinder and projects from each end thereof,:suitalole packing glands25 being employed to prevent leakage. A pistonA 26 is operatively positionedin each of `said cylinders and each piston 26 isixed to one of the rods 24 by means of the nuts 27 or otherwise suitably secured thereto. Y I

The elevated portions 7 and-8 of the bed 6 are each provided at a point kadjacent the outer end thereof with a rail 28 which may be formed integrally therewith or suitably secured thereto. The numeral 29 denotes shaping dies or blocks which are positioned o n the elevated portion 8 in regularly' recurring spaced relation and are adjustably secured to the elevated portion 8xby means of the bolts 30.. The dies 29 are preferably positioned to abut against oneof the rails 28 as shown in the drawing; each die 29 is of ,triangular shape, but the same may be of any shape necessary to impart the desired configuration to the rod. The elevated portion 7 of the bed 6 is likewise provided with aplurality of shaping dies or-blocks 31 which are adjustably secured to the-portion 7 by means of the bolts 32.` Y

Each of the piston rods 24 is provided on the end thereof presented. toward the blocks 29 with a head 33,. which, in the particular adaptation of the invention shown, are of'triangular shape and correspond in contour to the space between the dies 29. The end' of V each rod 24 which is` presented towardthe diesv 31Ais likewise provided with a head 34 which likewise conforms` in shape tothe space between the dies 3.1 -wherebyeachofthe heads' .33 and 34 when forced toward the adjacent dies/29 and 31 will have two faces thereof in spaced relation to the' adjacent die member.

The numeral 35 denotes a valve which comprises an elongated hollow cylinder whiclris lprovided at one end thereof with the hea-d 36 and on the other end thereof with the-head 37. The heads 36 and 37 are secured to the cylinder 35 by means of the bolts 38a, but may be formed integral therewith or secured thereto by any suitable means. The head 36 is provided with an axially arranged i bore in which is slidably mounted a rod 38,

-tothe four-way valve 44. The valve 44 is providedv with a cylindrical cavity 45 from which project the radial nipples 46, 47, 48 and 49. The nipple 46y is operatively connected to a pipe 50 which leads froma source of fluid under pressure. The nipple 4,8 is operatively connected to a. waste line 51. The nipple 49 is operatively connected to the pipe 42 and the nipple 47 is likewisev connected to the pipe 43. A valve inember 52 is secured in the cavity45 soV as to be capable of limitedrotary movement therein. Asuitable stem 53 isfiXed tothe' valve member 52 and a lever 54 is fixed to the stem 53 whereby the lever 54 will be operated to turn the valve member 52 from the solid line to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3. A second lever 55 is rotatably secured on the stem 53 so as to project in the direction opposite the lever 5.4. A coil spring 56 is secured to the lever 55 at a point adjacent the free end thereof. The lever 55 is provided with a. slot 57 and the rod 38 is provided with a pin '59 which is ventered in the slot in the lever 55 whereby the piston when positioned in the end of the cylinder towardthe head 37 will'move the lever 55 to the position shown in Figure 1. As soon as the lever 55 is moved past the center line of the lever 54, the spring 56 acts to move the lever 54 to move the .rotor 52 to the position shown in Figure 3. In this position fluid pressure from the pipe 50 will enter the cavity 45 and will pass through the pipe 43 tothe end of the cylinder provided withthe head 37, and the pipe 42 leading from the other end of the cylinder 35 is connected through the cavity 45 to the waste line 51.'

rlhe wall of the cylinder 35 is provided adjacent the head 37 with a plurality of openings 60, 61, 62 and 63 arranged in spaced re-y lation longitudinally of the cylinder, preferably ina row. Each of the cylinders 14 15, 16 and 17 is provided at a point adjacent the end thereof presented toward the dies 29 with an'opening 64. Each of said cylinders 14, 15, 16 and 17 are likewise provided adjacent the end thereof presented toward the dies 31 with an opening 65.'v One end of the tube 66 is operatively connected to the'cylinder 35 so as to communicate with the opening 60, the other end of said tube 66 is connected with the cylinder 14 so as to communicate with to the cylinder 35 so as to communicate withy the opening 63 and the other end of said tube 69 is operatively connected in the opening 64 in the cylinder 16. The cylinder 35 is provided adjacent the other end thereof With a plurality of openings 70, 71, 72 and 73 which are arranged therein in spaced relation longitudinally of the cylinder, preferably in a row with the opening 7 0 closest to the head 39.

The numeral 74 denotes a tube, one end ofwhich is operatively connected lin the opening 70 and the other end thereof in the opening 65 in the cylinder 14. A like tube 75 has one end connected in the -opening 71 and the other end thereof connected in the opening 65 in the cylinder 15. The tube 76 has one end thereof connected in the opening 72 and the other end thereof connected in the opening 65 in the cylinder 16.

The tube 77 has one end thereof operatively connected in the opening 73 and the other end thereof connected in the opening 65 in the cylinder 17. The numeral 78 denotes blocks Which are adjustably secured to the elevated portions 7 and 8 so as to extend in af' rour along the inner portion of each of said elevated portions with the outer edges thereof in spaced relation to a line extending in parallel spaced relation to the inner edges of the adjacent dies 29 and 31.

In operation, the tube 50 is connected to a line carrying Water or other fluid under pressure. Each of the heads 33 and 34 may be provided With the groove 80 which is adapted to fit the rod or other elongated member 79. The use of the improved apparatus will be described in connection with the disclosure made in Figure 1 in Which it will be seen that a rod 79 may be placed between the dies 31 and the blocks 78. with one end of the rod projecting only a short dista-nce past the rectangular block 31 and the other end of the rod 79 projecting some distance from the apparatus with the valve 54 positioned as shown in Figure 1, the valve is positioned as shown in Figure 3. The Water under pressure enters the cavity 45 and flows thrbugh the nipple 47 and the pipe 43 tothe end of the cylinder and through the head 37 to the adjacent end of the cylinder.

As the Water pressure from the line 50 Vis thus directed into the cylinder35, the piston 40 is moved toward the other end of the cylinder until the opening 63 is uncovered. This permits the fluid under pressure to flow through the pipe 69 and enter the end of the cylinder 17 'presented tovvar'd the dies 29, this forces the piston 26 toward the dies 31 and causes the head 34 to. engage the rod 79. rlhe fluid in the other portion of the cylinder escapes through the pipe 7 7 into the cylinder 35. Where it escapes through the pipe 42` to the cavity 45 and flovvs outwardly through the Waste pipe 51. Ilhe luid'pressure thus introduced lin the cylinder l17 forces the head 34 into the space between the adjacent dies ..31 causing the adjacent end of the rod 79 to fold at a right angle against one side of the head 34 and moving the other rod 79 longitudinally toconipensate for the bend thus made As' the fluid pressure continues to move the piston 40 until the opening 62 is" j exposed thereby permitting fluid pressure to enter the tube 68 tooperate the piston 26 in the cylinder 16, this forces thehead 34 into the adjacent dies 41 bending therod'49 and forming the second stepA therein. The piston 42 continuesto move exposing the'opening 61 and admitting fluid to the pipe 67, thus forcing they head 34 carried by thev rod 24 in the piston 15 in place to bend the rod 79 and form a third step therein. Upon furtherv movement ofthe piston 40 the opening i 60 is exposed admitting fluid pressure to the Itube 66 and forcing thepiston 26 in the c vl- 55 inder 14 `forwardly causing the die 34 to form the last step in therod 7-9.

Itv Will be seen that theblocks 78 permit the free longitudinal movement of the rod 79 Vthat the said blocks hold the rod. in position .during the progressive bending operation herein described. It will be seen that the heads 33 are thus moved away from the dies 29 so that the zig-zag rod 81 may be remov-ed and a straight rod quickly and conveniently substituted. As the lever 55 reaches the dottedline position sho-Wny in Figure 1, the spring `56 is carried past-the center line of the lever 54, whereupon the spring 56 automatically operates to the dotted line position shovvn'in Figure '1, thus moving the rotor 52m the valve 44' to the dotted line 'position shown in Figure 3, thereby connecting the Water power. line 50 With the tube 42 and vthe-Waste line51 with the tube 43. As the piston 40 is of sufficient length to cover either group of openings in the Wall of the cylinder 35, sufficient time Will be given the operator to remove the bent rod and submit a straight rod. As the piston 40 is thus forced in the opposite direction in the cylinder 3 5, the openings 70, 71, 72 and i 73 are successively exposed to progressively operate the pistons in the cylinders 14, 15, 16 and 17.

It Will also be understood that the invenn the line of movement of the plungers 24 and that the heads 33, 34 andthe die members 29 and 31 may be made of any suitable shape to produce a series of step-bends ofvany suitf able pattern. Y

Having` thus illustrated the invention and described the same in detail, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 10 l. In apparatus of the character described,

a supporting structure, a row of spaced parallel plungers mounted thereon, a head on each end of each plunger, a pair of oppositely positioned bending dies, each ofv said dies 1,5 having a face provided With a plurality of steps and means to consecutivelymove said plungers to bringsaid heads into operative engagement with said steps. y 2. In apparatus of the character described, a supporting structure, a row of spaced, parallel plungers mounted thereon a head on each end of each plunger, bending dies ar- Y ranged along the ends ont saidplungers to receive said heads and means to move said 2,5 plungers to alternately bring the heads on the opposite ends of said plungers into operative engagement with said dies;

3. In apparatus of the character described, a supporting structure, a plurality of plung- 30 ers mounted thereon, a head on each end of Y each plunger, bending dies mounted on said structure, each of said dies arranged to receive the heads on the like ends of said plungers and fluid pressure meansfor consecutive- .35 ly moving said plungers into operative engagement with each of said dies.

4. In apparatus of the character described, a supporting structure, a plurality of cylinders mounted thereon, a piston on each O '40 said cylinders, a lplunger attached to each i piston, each plunger projecting from each end of each cylinder, a head on each end of each plunger, bending dies arranged along the like ends of said plungers and fluid pressure means for operating said pistons to bring said heads into'mating relation with said'dies.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. l ALPI-IONSO H. MARIETTA. 

